Guthrie Govan Sig Charvel

Robboman

Robboman

Fractal Fanatic
Anyone here gotten hands on one of these yet? What was your impression?

Charvel® Guitars
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I like the understated looks of it, all shades of wood brown without annoying bling. I love the specs, right down to the fine details. I just can't get my mind around the 4 grand price tag. Especially since it's a bolt-on neck Charvel/Fender. It seems like it should be maybe a 2k guitar, but you have to pay another 2k for Guthrie's name.

Crazy enough, there's one for private sale locally. He's asking full price firm, because it's 'brand new' and he had to wait 6 months on Charvel's wait list to get it.
 
played a used one at a GC in Houston....was expecting to be blown away but was underwhelmed. honestly felt a little cheap.
 
That is not worth 4k imho. I have several High End guitars, Suhr Custom and Majesty and my Suhr is worth around 4k, But I had custom controls put it and a few other things that brought the guitar up to that price point. This guitar here seems to lack those features and seems pretty boring.
 
IMO, you're better off letting Suhr, Tom Anderson, or one of dozens of other qualified builders make this guitar for you either at the same price point or for less... there's nothing incredibly impressive about it, which makes me think it could be done well for cheaper (not saying there's nothing to like about it, just that you shouldn't have to worry about an expensive upcharge for things like a figured top).

Plus, slap TA's of JS's name on the headstock, and it'll likely hold value much better than Charvel's with or without GG's sig.

I'd offer your local guy a grand just to piss him off.
 
A friend of mine got one . Compared to a suhr modern custom , the Charvel is lighter , thin sounding and normally finished .You should check the neck shape before buying ....
 
Get what you like, it's different. I'm partial to andersons, but If it's cool and inspires you that is ultimately what you look for :)
 
Haven't seen one up close yet, but i am partial to the Rasmus GG model briefly made in Asia and Plek'd and setup by Suhr. Still one my most prized.....if you ever see one on the market GRAB IT
 
I'm not on the "chocolate/baked" bandwagon. You get a hard skin of wood with a innard of molested fiber.
It maybe sounds like your aged, 20 year old neck. But I don't think it will ever sound better - just worse - or as the day you bought it.
I like natural, unaltered but aged wood I can grow up with.
 
I somehow like the idea of roasted/baked/caramelized maple neck (whatever you want to call that). But maybe it's just one of those marketing points? I mean it's not like I pick up my other guitars and think "man... this wood is so NOT roasted!"

This neck also has nice compound radius, graphite reinforcing rods inside, big stainless-steel frets and an easy-access truss rod adjusting wheel. Seems like it would last forever. Strat shape, HSH pickups with 2 knobs and blade switch I like best. Real bone nut, locking tuners. It's just exactly the specs I'd choose myself. It looks like a real players guitar, versatile and designed by a real player.. for PLAYING. But it's priced more like one of those blinged-up wall hanger ornament guitars that dentists buy. How many real players buy 4k guitars? Or am I just cheap?

I'd be a buyer around 2 grand. I'm sure I'll find a used one in that range if I wait enough years :)
 
Robboman said:
I somehow like the idea of roasted/baked/caramelized maple neck (whatever you want to call that). But maybe it's just one of those marketing points? I mean it's not like I pick up my other guitars and think "man... this wood is so NOT roasted!"

This neck also has nice compound radius, graphite reinforcing rods inside, big stainless-steel frets and an easy-access truss rod adjusting wheel. Seems like it would last forever. Strat shape, HSH pickups with 2 knobs and blade switch I like best. Real bone nut, locking tuners. It's just exactly the specs I'd choose myself. It looks like a real players guitar, versatile and designed by a real player.. for PLAYING. But it's priced more like one of those blinged-up wall hanger ornament guitars that dentists buy. How many real players buy 4k guitars? Or am I just cheap?

I'd be a buyer around 2 grand. I'm sure I'll find a used one in that range if I wait enough years :)
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the one i saw was like 2600 used.
 
Overpriced like any signature guitar... For that money you can have a custom built Axe (and this is what I did;) )
 
The specs look good to me too but as you say over priced as is.

With a maple cap on basswood and a maple fingerboard, it could get over bright for me.

I own two different Charvel's though and like them a lot. Both of mine have maple necks / boards (un carmelized)
 
Don't forget these are built in what is essentially the Charvel Custom Shop. Don't compare the price to an American Standard Strat. Compare it to a Fender Custom shop with the same features and price wise and it comes off looking like a pretty good deal. Also MAP may be 4K but street price should be 30-40% less.
 
My Suhr does have a roasted neck and it's fantastic. I prefer them much more than regular because I LOVE how stable it is. I've gone almost 2 years without having to adjust the Relief and the weather here goes from 100F to -30 below, well in the house it doesn't but the point is the extremes are there and this thing is rock solid. I had a suhr without a roasted neck and it was not half as solid in terms of the Relief and tuning.
 
was one on ebay starting 1900.00 earlier today. I watch the charvel listing a lot and have seen several lately usually around 3000.00
edit: sorry must have been a mistake not there now sorry!
 
Hellbat said:
Don't forget these are built in what is essentially the Charvel Custom Shop. Don't compare the price to an American Standard Strat. Compare it to a Fender Custom shop with the same features and price wise and it comes off looking like a pretty good deal. Also MAP may be 4K but street price should be 30-40% less.
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Its my understanding from my dealer that these are built on the production line, not the custom shop. At $3600 street they're way overpriced
 
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